Our story

The Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE) was established in 2006 as a faith-based global program, social network and grassroots social justice movement under the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA). In 2015, WISE became an independent organization and currently operates as a partner project under the Fund for the City of New York (FCNY), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

WISE empowers Muslim women to fully participate in their communities and nations and amplifies their collective voices at all levels of political, economic, religious, and social discourse. Muslim women throughout the world have a rich legacy of excellence in their roles as leaders, professionals, caregivers and activists. WISE represents an authoritative Muslim women’s movement to reclaim this legacy.

Our Uniqueness

WISE has both global scale and deep roots in Muslim communities throughout the world. We have developed a collaborative strategy for collective action by supporting the diverse work of Muslim women leaders and cooperating with organizations dedicated to advancing the position of Muslim women.

WISE prides itself on using a comprehensive approach to transform the position of Muslim women in the following unique ways:

WISE is authentic to the Islamic tradition.

Past approaches to empowering Muslim women typically employ a distinctly Western framework for understanding the problem, relying exclusively on measurements of economic status, educational level, health care or political participation. WISE approaches change from a holistic perspective that addresses the many interrelated factors that contribute to gender-based inequality and disempowerment.

WISE is authentic to the Islamic tradition.

Past approaches to empowering Muslim women typically employ a distinctly Western framework for understanding the problem, relying exclusively on measurements of economic status, educational level, health care or political participation. WISE approaches change from a holistic perspective that addresses the many interrelated factors that contribute to gender-based inequality and disempowerment.

WISE is authentic to the Islamic tradition.

Past approaches to empowering Muslim women typically employ a distinctly Western framework for understanding the problem, relying exclusively on measurements of economic status, educational level, health care or political participation. WISE approaches change from a holistic perspective that addresses the many interrelated factors that contribute to gender-based inequality and disempowerment.